Ever After
by neesah
Summary: Sequel to Eternally
1. Paths Crossing

Ever After    
  
**Disclaimer: ** I'm just a borrower not an owner.   
  
So, I left you hanging in Eternally's Part 2 huh? I originally planned to just end it there but I guess I'm just as curious as you to what will happen next so I made this sequel. Beware: I think this is more evil than Eternally. For comments, suggestions, flames or reviews, you can email me at raizenheero@aol.com.   
  
ENJOY.   
  
  


**Ever After**   
by Neesah 

  
  


**Part 1: Paths Crossing**

  
  
  


She gently placed the body to the ground. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her hands reaching out to close his vacant eyes. She turned and walked away. She had been doing this for 200 years, but the guilt won't just leave her. All of her kind carried the guilt of killing in order to survive, well, the young ones anyways. But she carried an even greater burden of guilt than any. Her selfishness had caused all of this chaos. In exchange for her happiness, she sacrificed the future of the whole world.

At the corner of her eye, she saw a fledgling in hot pursuit of a blue-haired girl. She narrowed her eyes. The girl looked vaguely familiar. She followed them to a dark alley. 

The fledgling had caught up with the girl, his arms wrapped around her in a deadly embrace, his fangs bared. But he suddenly stopped his attack and turned around. He saw a figure in white by the alley's entrance. The two locked gazes for a moment and with a nod of reverence, the fledging let the girl go and flew away.

Sighing her relief, the blue-haired girl stared at her rescuer with eerie fascination. She wanted to thank her but her voice was caught in her throat. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her golden hair, heart-shaped face and porcelain skin combined with her white dress created the illusion that she was a goddess. As the lady approached her, she could see recognition in the lady's sky blue eyes.

"Hilde?" the lady asked.

Hilde looked at her questioningly. "How did you know my name?" The lady smiled. _ That smile, _ Hilde thought. _ I'm sure I've seen that smile before. _ "Have we met somewhere before?"

"Maybe," the lady answered mysteriously.

Hilde just shrugged. "By the way, thanks for saving me."

The lady smiled again. "You better go. It's not safe to be out here all alone."

Hilde nodded and started walking away. All of a sudden, a group of men blocked the entrance to the alley.

"Hilde!"

"Blair!" Hilde called out as she ran to one of the men. The man she called Blair hugged her protectively, his brown eyes flashing with relief.

"Thank God you're safe, Hilde," he said.

Hilde looked up at him. "One of then almost got me but a lady scared him away."

Blair cocked an eyebrow. "What lady?"

"That lady," she said as she turned around. "Huh?" she muttered when she saw that the alley way was empty.

  
  


Heero silently sat on his favorite chair, immersed in his thoughts. To his utter dismay and delight, the Prophecy had been fulfilled. For 200 years, they'd been living in the Golden Age of Darkness. The vampires now truly ruled the world. But with this power also came great responsibility. As the King, he had to make sure that everything went smoothly. Rules had to be established in order to ensure that this age would continue on forever. First of all, they had to control the siring of vampires. They didn't want to have more vampires than there were humans to feed on right? And secondly, he had to see to it that no vampire would go to the extreme of gluttonously feasting on every human that walked on earth. Humans were a scarce natural resource, actually the most important of all resources for them so they had to utilize them wisely. That was why he released a decree stating that all vampires could do whatever they like during a hunt to satisfy themselves as long as they didn't massacre whole towns or countries, or do anything that would rapidly deplete the human population. They needed humans to continue breeding and to multiply. They didn't want to totally wipe them off existence.

To be honest, he didn't care about any of this. All that mattered to him was that finally, he had his Queen by his side. He smiled as he touched the heart-shaped locket hanging form his neck. After 1100 years, he still wore it. It kept him company whenever she leaves to hunt alone. At first, they had always hunted together. Being young, only 200 years old, she needed to feed everynight. And after 50 years of accompanying her, he decided to let her hunt alone, knowing that she wanted to try doing things on her own. And he was certain that she was capable of taking care of herself. As young as she was, she was really very powerful, already as strong as his four advisors. His blood and her heritage as a white witch made a very potent combination. And surely she would grow even more powerful as the years progress, eventually surpassing his four advisors. She was the Queen afterall. But she would never surpass him. No vampire in existence would ever surpass him. He was the last Vampire King, the most powerful of them all.

He felt their presence before they even neared his study. He watched them enter unceremoniously. Duo plopped on the couch, Quatre sitting beside him. Wufei and Trowa on the other hand, opted to remain standing, leaning by the wall near the door. Heero didn't need to ask them nor to read their minds to know that the search didn't go well. He could clearly see the frustration on their faces. He felt guilty. While he was happy and contented having Relena with him, his four friends were still miserable.

"Maybe we should stop looking. Usually they were reborn every after 50 years but it has been 200 years and we still couldn't find them," Quatre quietly said.

"NO! We have the rest of eternity to look for them. We'll find them eventually," Duo yelled, though more at himself than at Quatre. He was starting to lose hope too.

"Maybe when the curse was broken, not only was the cycle of them dying stopped but also their being reborn again," Trowa voiced out.

"It's possible. But I have this distinct feeling that they're somewhere out there. That we'll find them again," Wufei said.

"You all just need to be a little more patient," Heero told them. He was going to say more but he stopped and looked at the open window. After a few minutes, the other four turned their heads to the window too. They saw Relena entered the room through the window, her hair and dress billowing in the night wind. She smiled at the four and went straight to Heero. Heero never took his eyes off her as she approached him and sat on his lap, her hands clasped around his neck. He gave her a quick kiss then said, "You're back early. Did you have any troubles with the Vampire Slayers?"

Wufei snorted. "Please. As if those slayers can touch the Queen or any of us. The only vampires that they could kill at night are the fledglings and the weak ones. And they are dishonorable, hunting us by day, looking for our lairs while we are asleep and helpless then setting us on fire or exposing us to the sun. They're not worthy of the name 'Vampire Slayers'."

"What other name should they use, Wufei? They slay vampires so they are called Vampire Slayers. Besides, they surely make this era more interesting for us. Without them, we won't have any excitement around here," Trowa countered.

"And they managed to kill many vampires over the years. There are only less than 70 of us left," Quatre added.

"70 is still plenty enough for me," Duo answered. He eyed Relena carefully, noticing her cheeks were glowing and her eyes sparkling with joy. "You looked happy, Lena. Had a good hunt?"

Relena stood up and sat beside Duo and Quatre on the couch. "The hunt was fine. Ordinary. But I have good news for you," she said beaming at them. "I found Hilde."

Four pairs of eyes looked at her increduously. "Really?" Duo choked out.

"Yup. I just finished a kill when I saw a fledgling chasing a girl. She looked familiar so I followed them. The fledgling recognized me as the Queen so he left the girl alone when I asked him to. I confirmed that it's Hilde. And she somehow knew that we've met before."

Wufei said, "So if Hilde was reborn that means ---"

"All the other girls were reborn too," Trowa finished for him.

"Finally," Quatre said with relief and hope.

  


******************************

  


Sally went down the basement, 5 men trailing behind her. All they saw were crates and junk that usual basements had. But they weren't fooled. The men inspected each crate while Sally searched the floor, looking for something out of the ordinary. She smiled when she felt a trap door. The trap door gave way as she hit it with an axe, revealing a coffin. She signaled to the others. They opened the lid and found a vampire sleeping inside. They poured gas over him then lighted a match. They watched solemnly as the vampire burned into a cinder. Having found no other slumbering vampires there, they left the basement.

When they got back to the Slayers' building, Dorothy and her group were already waiting for them.

"How did it go?" Dorothy asked Sally.

"We only found one," Sally replied as she sat down beside her. "You?"

"Three."

"Do you think that one of those you destroyed was the King?" Sally wondered.

"I doubt it. He's supposed to be special, being the King and all," Dorothy replied.

"Yeah, you're right. No vampire slayer has known where the King or any of his advisors slumber. Nor did anyone ever laid eyes on them and survived." 

"Do you think that we'll ever be able to find and destroy the King? What if the vampire we met last night was telling the truth?"

  
  


****************************************************FLASHBACK******************************************

  


"Stop right there!" Sally yelled. A man with red hair and green eyes turned around to look at her, holding a 15-yr old girl in his hands.

"Vampire Slayer," the man hissed, baring his fangs. "How foolish of you. You're all alone, how can you stop me?"

"She's not," Dorothy answered. She and 20 men surrounded the vampire, all of them holding torches. "Release the girl," she ordered.

"And what will you do if I don't?" 

"We'll barbecue you," Sally answered.

The vampire smiled. "Is that all?" he said as he plunged his fangs down the girl's neck. The slayers held their torches at him, trying to burn him. But whenever a torch got near him, the flame died out. When he dropped the girl's body to the ground, all the torches' flames were out. Grinning evilly, he vanished then reappeared at Sally's side, grabbing her by the neck. "Have you mistaken me for a fledgling, slayer? I can see that you've done your research. The fire and the sun are the only things that can kill us. But you forgot something, we have supernatural powers. You couldn't kill me that easily. I'm very old, even older than the King himself. And I can kill all of you in a blink of an eye, just like I put out the fire in your torches. But the King would be angry if I kill even if I already had my fill. It would be a waste of limited resource. Besides, slayers are fun to have around. You give us something to look forward to everynight."

Sally struggled to get free of his grip, the other slayers brandishing their swords, guns, crossbows, tranquilizer guns and crosses. The vampire shook his head and laughed at their foolishness. He raised a hand and the weapons all fell to the ground, while a crucifix flew to his hand. He held it against his cheek for a moment before throwing it to the ground.

Sally unfazed asked, "Where's the King?"

The vampire looked at her, amused. "So you think that destroying the King will destroy us all?" he asked, reading her thoughts. "That's where you're wrong. The Queen and his advisors were linked to him, they'll die if he dies but not the rest of us. You have to hunt us individually to kill us." 

He vanished again then reappeared at Dorothy's side this time, wrapping her in an intimate embrace. "It's very foolish of you to think that you can destroy the King. You saw my power, but my power is nothing compared to the King. Even if you managed to find his lair, which is very impossible, you cannot kill him. Any mortal who gets near him while he's asleep dies by his own hands. It's like an innate security system. And aside from that, he's immortal. He wouldn't die, even if he himself likes to. It's in the Prophecy, it's his destiny to rule forever. The Golden Age of Darkness will continue and there's nothing you can do about it."

He bared his fangs and let Dorothy feel them before pushing her away. They all stared at him, wide-eyed as he rose to the air. "Until next time, slayers," he called out, then flew away.

  


********************************************************END FLASHBACK*********************************************

  
  


"Even if what he said is true, we still have to try. Do you want our children to live in such a dark, dreary place?" Sally asked her.

Dorothy shook her head. Sally was right. They just had to try. For the sake of the future generation.

  
  


Catherine knocked at the door. "Come in," the voice inside called out. She entered and saw the Mother Superior smiling at her.

"Ah, Sister Catherine. Welcome back. How was your mission in Africa?"

"It went well, Mother. Thanks for allowing me to go there," Catherine answered.

"The pleasure is all mine. Do you plan to go to another mission?"

"Maybe next year. I think I'm going to rest for a while. That last mission really drained me."

"You can rest as long as you want. Well then, I can see you're tired. You can unpack your things and change before lunch."

"Thanks, Mother," Catherine replied as she stood up and went out of the room.

  


******************************

  


Hilde walked in the living room and gasped. She saw a tall guy with a long braid standing by the door, his violet eyes regarding her intently. But the strange thing was, she couldn't feel any fear. It was like she could hear a voice at the back of her head assuring her that he wouldn't hurt her. She also had this queer feeling at the pit of her stomach. Somehow, everything seemed so familiar, so natural.

"Hilde," the guy said.

"Who are you?" she breathed. With a blink of an eye, the guy was beside her.

"I came for you, Hilde," he said, cupping her face. He leaned down and captured her lips. Hilde closed her eyes, drowning at the sensation and the images that flowed in her head. When they pulled apart, Hilde whispered, "Duo."

Duo smiled at her. "So you remember. It's time, Hilde. Come with me. We'll finally be together."

Hilde sadly looked at him and withdrew back. "I can't, Duo."

Duo couldn't believe what he just heard. Hilde, refusing to come with him? "Why?"

"My past may belong to you but not my present. Or my future."

Duo furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

As if on cue, the main door opened. "Sorry I'm late," the russet-haired man said. He then saw Duo in the living room. "Who's our visitor, Hilde?"

Hilde went to him and hooked her arm in his. "Blair, this is Duo, an ** old ** friend of mine. Duo, this is Blair, my husband."

Blair eyed Duo warily. There was something wrong about him, he just couldn't pinpoint what. He shrugged and offered a hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you, Duo. Maybe you could join us for dinner."

Duo ignored his hand and coolly answered, "Nah. I just ate. See ya around." He walked towards the door. But before going out, he turned and locked gazes with Hilde. _ I'll come back for you. _

  
  


Catherine tossed and turned on her bed. In her dream, she could see herself die many times over, always by plunging a dagger at her heart. Also, a face kept on appearing in her dreams, a guy's face --- green eyes and brown hair that was combed to one side. He was always there. A name kept echoing in her mind. "Trowa," she mumbled in her sleep. When she opened her eyes, she saw him gazing at her tenderly. She blinked a few times. _ That guy in my dream… _ When she confirmed that he was really there, sitting by the edge of her bed, she sat up. She studied him for a while. No use asking his name, she already knew who he was. But there were other questions that she could ask, that she needed to hear the answers to. Scrunching up the courage, she asked, "How did you get in here?"

Trowa's lips twitched up a bit. "I can go anywhere I please. Anytime," he replied.

"What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything **from ** you. I want ** you **. Are you ready to be with me forever, Catherine?"

Catherine shook her head. "You're mistaken. I already belong to someone else. I belong to God, married to him. I can't ever be with you."

Trowa's face remained expressionless. "Are you sure about that?" he breathed, his eyes flickering with emotion. He leaned towards her. Before she could stop herself, she closed her eyes and waited for his lips to brush hers. Passion instantly flared between them. She never felt this wanton before as they continued exploring each other's mouths. But there was still something holding her back. She then pulled away. Trowa looked at her, giving her a small smile before standing up. 

"I'll be back. I hope you'll be ready by then," he said then disappeared.

Catherine opened her eyes and jerked into a sitting position. "Just a dream," she said. _ But it felt so real. _ She touched her lips and gasped when she saw her fingers. "Blood…" She looked around her room and saw the window was open. She stood up and went to the window. Shutting it close she said, "So it's not just a dream afterall."

  
  


Sally and 10 of her comrades were patrolling the streets. The guys were in front while Sally brought up the rear. She saw something move towards the alley they just passed. "Guys, I saw something," she called out as she ran and followed it. She entered the alley and saw a Chinese guy waiting for her. 

"Sally," the guy said. Sally stared at him. He looked very familiar.

When Sally's friends entered the alley, it was empty.

  
  


Dorothy led her 10 friends in patrolling the park. Everybody turned their heads to look back when they heard something from behind. Turning their attention back in front, they saw that Dorothy was gone.

  
  


Sally opened her eyes and found herself in a rooftop. She saw the Chinese guy she had seen earlier in the alley regarding her intently.

"Do I know you? How did you know my name? Why did you bring me here?"

"Why ask me all these questions when you already knew the answers?" the guy replied.

"I knew the answers?" Sally asked, baffled.

The guy slowly approached her, never breaking eye contact. "Yes. Remember, Sally. Remember me, remember everything," he whispered as his face came closer to hers, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Sally moaned. She cupped his face, his arms enveloping her waist. Something long buried deep within her was returning to the surface. 

"Wufei," she mumbled against him. Her tongue eagerly explored his mouth. She sharply pulled back when she felt a sting in her tongue. She stared at him, wide-eyed. "You're a vampire."

Wufei didn't confirm nor deny her statement. Instead he said, "You don't know how long I've waited for this. It's time to come with me, Sally."

Sally stepped further back. Half of her wanted to desperately go with him but the other half was screaming at her, telling her to get the hell out of there, fast.

"I can't, Wufei. I'm a slayer. You're a vampire. We're enemies."

"Deep down you know that we're not enemies. Deep down you know that you belong to me."

"NO!" 

"Yes," he calmly repeated.

"No," she said again, though half-heartedly this time. "It's impossible, Wufei. We can't. I can't."

Wufei studied her, his obsidian eyes full of longing. Turning his back, he said, "I'll be back for you, Sally. Remember that." He then flew away. Sally watched him for a moment, then heard her friends calling her name. She looked down and saw them looking for her.

  
  


When the hand clamped to her mouth was removed, Dorothy whirled around and saw a guy with blond hair and blue eyes staring at her with affection. She stared back, unafraid. _ I've seen him somewhere before, _ she told herself. _ But where? In my past life? In my dreams? _ Drowning in his beautiful eyes, a name rolled out from her tongue. "Quatre."

Quatre smiled at her. He enveloped her in his arms and kissed her gently, then more passionately. Images flashed through her mind as she saw her past. Then the images were replaced by those of Quatre killing humans, drinking blood. Dorothy abruptly pulled back, her gray eyes looking at him with shock.

"What you saw is true, Dorothy. I am a vampire. But does it matter? We've been given this chance. At long last, you and I are going to be together."

Dorothy slowly backed away. "You're asking me to come with you?"

"Yes. Why? Don't you want to be with me forever?"

Dorothy closed her eyes, fighting for control. After a moment, she opened them again. "In all the times I had lived, a certain part of me had always belonged to you. But this is different, Quatre. I would love to be with you but not like this. Not this way."

Quatre tried to approach her but she backed away again. "I don't get it, Dorothy."

"I don't want to be a vampire, Quatre. I'm a slayer. I kill vampires. It's my duty. It's my calling."

"Maybe the reason you're so obsessed in hunting vampires is that unconsciously, you're looking for me," Quatre quietly said.

"That's not true. I kill vampires because they're a menace. You're a menace."

Quatre sadly looked at her. "I don't believe that's entirely the reason. And I know that you don't believe yourself either." He turned his back at her. "Think about what I said, Dorothy. You can be sure that I'll return. Now that I finally found you, I wouldn't dream of letting you go." And with that he flew away.

Dorothy watched him took flight, something akin to pain gnawing at her heart. She turned around and saw her friends entering the clearing.

"There you are, Dorothy. You got us worried," Milo told her.

  
  


Sitting on the carpeted floor, Relena laid her head on Heero's lap. Heero sat back on his chair as he ran his fingers through her golden tresses.

"Why didn't you go out to hunt tonight, Relena?"

"I want to just stay here and keep you company all night."

"But you need to feed. You're still very young."

"I can hunt again tomorrow night. Besides, you of all people should know that even if I'm young, I could survive up to 3 nights without feeding. Thanks to your powerful blood."

Heero didn't reply. He continued on caressing her hair. After a few minutes of silence, Relena asked, "Heero, why don't you hunt anymore? If I can remember correctly, the last time you went out to hunt was 150 years ago. It was also the last time we hunted together."

"I'm very old, Relena. I don't need blood to survive anymore."

"I know that. But even if you don't need the blood you thrived in the kill. You always liked hunting. What changed you?"

Heero smiled. "Well, I've always liked destruction because it's the only way I could express the void inside my soul. I'm angry at everything and everyone for taking you away from me. But now that you're here with me, I'm at peace with myself and the whole world. I don't have to kill or to destroy anymore."

Relena lifted her head and gazed at his gorgeous Prussian blue eyes. Heero leaned down while she lifted her head to meet him halfway. Their heads were only inches apart when they abruptly turned their eyes toward the door. They saw Duo, Wufei, Trowa and Quatre entered the study. The four didn't sit down, they were too agitated to remain seated.

"What happened? Didn't you find them?" Relena asked, settling her head on Heero's lap again.

"We found them alright," Wufei answered as he paced back and forth.

"And?" Heero prompted.

"They rejected us," Quatre replied with a tinge of anger.

Relena jerked her head up when she heard Quatre's words. Heero's face remained blank though he was shocked too. 

"Didn't they remember who you are?" Heero asked.

"They did," Trowa answered. 

"So what's the problem? Why didn't they want to come with you?" Relena inquired.

"Oh, there's just something holding them back. In Hilde's case her HUSBAND!"

"Well, you got it easier, Maxwell. Sally is a slayer. Of all things, she has to be a GODDAMN SLAYER."

"Dorothy is a slayer too."

"Catherine is a nun."

Relena couldn't believe this was happening. "I thought the curse was broken," she softly said.

"It was. It's not the curse that's causing this though," Wufei said.

Quatre shook his head bitterly. "After all those years of torment from the curse and 200 years of waiting and looking for them after the curse was finally broken, all we got is this. There's really someone up there who enjoys playing a cruel joke on us. I'm getting really pissed-off."

"So, are you just giving up?" Heero asked, almost like a challenge.

The four looked at each other. Simultaneously, their lips formed into sinister smiles.

"Who said about giving up? You should know us better than that, Heero," Duo said, his eyes twinkling evilly.

"They're ours to begin with. They'll be ours again, whether they like it or not," Trowa added in a dangerous voice.


	2. Where the path leads

Ever After    
  
**Disclaimer: ** The plot is mine but the GW characters are from Gundam Wing (obviously).  
  
This is it, the final installment of Ever After. I hope that I met your expectations for this fic. Though I still think that this is more evil than Eternally. And when I say more evil, it's definitely **more ** evil. For comments, suggestions, flames or reviews, you can email me at raizenheero@aol.com.   
  
  


**Ever After**   
by Neesah 

  
  


**Part 2: Where the path leads**

  
  
  


The King and the Queen were always the last ones to sleep and the first ones to wake up. Fifteen minutes after sunset, Relena woke up from her slumber. She didn't need to look at her husband's face to see if he was already awake. Aside from the fact that he always woke up just as the sun sets in the horizon, she could feel his grip around her shoulders tightened. She smiled and snuggled closer to him. They remained like that for a few minutes. Finally, Heero asked, "Why so quiet, kirei?"

Relena looked up and saw him gazing lovingly at her. She knew that he could just read her mind but he respected her privacy and he would like it more if she was the one whose going to tell him personally. "I just feel sorry for the guys. They waited for 200 years to find their girls and now that they did, the girls refused to be with them."

"I feel sorry for them too. But we need not worry. You heard what they said. They'll have their girls back whether they like it or not."

"It would be better if they won't force the girls. Being a vampire of your own free will is better than being forced to it. I should know. You five should know about that too."

Kissing her forehead, Heero answered, "I understand what you mean. Though I'm certain that the girls will come around eventually. Being born many times didn't change their feelings for the guys. They wouldn't change now. They just need to get over those things that are holding them back."

Relena sighed. "I hope you're right. I don't want to see Wufei, Quatre, Trowa and Duo that miserable ever again. And it would be fun if we'll all be together again. Just like old times."

"Hn," he acquiesced. Out of nowhere, a sly grin appeared on his handsome face. "Let's get out of here. I'm more comfortable in our bedchamber than this coffin."

Relena raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning, Mr. Heero Yuy?"

"Oh nothing special. I just want to make you scream tonight. And to take you to heaven since we're not going to die and even if we do, we won't be accepted there," he answered mischievously.

She smiled impishly at him, tracing a finger on his chest. "You've taken me to heaven and back for 200 years, Heero. And you always managed to make me scream. Even without supernatural hearing, every vampire alive could hear me." Heero couldn't help but smile at her remark. "Maybe this time, I'm the one whose going to make you scream."

It was Heero's turn to raise an eyebrow. Him, scream? The King didn't scream --- in pain, in anger, even in pleasure. But he decided to humor her. "Let us see about that." He lifted the lid and helped Relena off the coffin they were in. They walked towards the stairs and started climbing up. When they reached the top, Heero waved a hand and the wall parted, revealing a large elegant room. He swept her off her feet and marched towards the four-poster bed. Depositing his precious cargo, he climbed in and started accomplishing his mission of taking her to heaven.

  
  


**An hour later…**

Sally heard a knock on her door. "Sally, it's Dorothy. Can I come in?" Sally went to the door and opened it.

"Hi," Dorothy greeted her.

"Hi," Sally greeted back, gesturing for her to come in. After closing the door, both women sat on the bed. Sally stared at the cross hanging on the wall.

"You've seen him too, haven't you?" Dorothy asked. 

Sally looked at her questioningly. Dorothy smiled. "How did I know? Well, besides the way you've been acting since we returned from the patrol last night and the way you're looking at the cross right now, I happened to see Quatre too."

"Did he ask you to come with him?" Dorothy nodded. Sally returned her gaze at the cross. "What did you say?"

"I said no. That I'm a slayer and he's a vampire. We couldn't be together." 

"I said the same thing to Wufei," Sally told her. Silence. Then, Sally said, "They'll be back, you know. They wouldn't just give up."

"I know. But that's what I'm afraid of, Sally. I'm scared that just a few more push I might actually agree to come with him."

"Same here. Half of me wanted to fling myself at him and be with him forever, even if I damn myself in the process. While the other half is clinging to the idea of heaven, of salvation. We've been reborn more than enough times, Dorothy. I don't want to continue being reincarnated nor would I want to live forever. There's no doubt that I want to be with him, but I don't want to be a vampire. And in the end, I only have to choose one."

Dorothy remained silent. She didn't need to talk, they both knew that she was feeling the same thing. Glancing at her watch, she stood up. "The patrol team will be leaving any minute. Are you coming?"

"No. I think I'll pass tonight. You?"

"I'll skip it too. I think I need some time alone. See ya." She walked out of the door and left Sally with her thoughts. 

Sally stared at the cross one last time before going out of her room. Whenever she needed to think, she went to the rooftop of their building. Unknown to her, a pair of obsidian eyes silently watched her.

  
  


Hilde dabbed the towel on her wet face, then stared at her reflection on the bathroom mirror. She was torn between her past and her present. And whatever would come on top will decide her future. She heaved a big sigh before going back to their bedroom. She stood frozen by the bathroom door when she saw Duo waiting for her inside the bedroom.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You know why I'm here. I'm here to take you with me."

"I told you before, Duo, that I can't. I already belong to someone else. I already have a husband. Can't you understand that? It'll be for the best if you just forget about me."

Duo stared at her solemnly. "I couldn't forget you, Hilde. I lived for 1100 years and still, it's you that I love. I couldn't just let you go. And I don't believe that you really want me to forget you or that you'll forget me."

Hilde couldn't tear her gaze away from those violet orbs. _ You already have a husband. You cannot go with him. What about Blair? He loves you. He needs you. You cannot just turn away from him because the person you loved forever has asked you to, _ her mind chanted. Gathering all of her remaining willpower, she looked away. "My answer is still no, Duo. I couldn't come with you. My husband will be here any minute. I suggest that you leave."

"You know that I don't take no for an answer, Hilde. Besides, I don't think your ** husband ** can do anything for you now."

The tone of his voice made her look at him again. Duo gave her a wide grin, a very malicious grin. Her blood ran cold. She then saw a huddled figure by the window. She slowly went to it, afraid of what it might be. When she came closer, she gasped when saw her worst fear right in front of her eyes. "Blair!" she cried out as she kneeled down and cradled him in her arms. She rocked him back and forth, his brown eyes staring lifelessly at her. She could see two pin-sized bite marks on his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she said to him as tears fell unbidden on her face.

  
  


Sally looked down from her position. The building was 10-story high, she definitely wouldn't survive. If ever she decided to jump that is.

"Sally."

She whirled around and saw Wufei standing a few meters away. "I have come for you. It's time to go," he said as he slowly approached her.

"Don't come any closer, Wufei. I'll jump if you do."

Wufei stopped on his tracks. "Why are you running away from me? Don't you want to be with me?"

"I do, but I don't! That's the problem. I wanted to be with you so much but I don't want to be a vampire. I don't want my soul to be damned forever."

"Is that all? Is that what's stopping you? The solution to your problem is very simple, Sally. If you come with me, your soul might be damned but we'll be together. We'll share eternal damnation together."

Sally smiled. "You make it sound so simple and inviting."

"It is. Believe me it is."

"But it still doesn't seem simple to me." Gazing at his eyes she said, "I love you, Wufei. I always had and I'll always will. But I can't be with you. I just can't." With that, she jumped off the building.

  
  


Quatre entered Dorothy's room through the window. He saw her standing by her bed, her back against him. He looked around the room. _ For a modern room, this sure has a lot of torches, _ he said to himself. "Dorothy."

Dorothy turned around to face him. "I had thought about what you said, mulling it over many times. And each time I arrive at the same answer --- No. I can't come with you, Quatre. Not in the expense of my soul."

Quatre walked towards her. "Do you think that I'll just accept your answer then fly away? I guess you don't know me that well, my dear Dorothy."

Dorothy smiled. "Oh,no. In fact, I know you **too** well, Quatre. I know that you wouldn't just give up. But I wouldn't give up easily either." She grabbed a bucket and threw its contents on Quatre. 

Drenched, Quatre just stood there. "Gasoline," he stated. Then he saw her took two torches from the wall. "So, you have prepared for this," Quatre said, smiling. "I'm impressed." 

Dorothy aimed the torches at him. "You're a vampire. I'm a slayer. I kill vampires, Quatre. That's why I'll kill you."

"Go ahead. Burn me. I'm not really sure if I'll die, though. But go ahead. If you got the guts to burn me, I'll let you go and I promise not to bother you ever again."

Dorothy narrowed her eyes and moved closer, the two torches nearing Quatre's gas soaked body. He captured her gaze, his blue eyes boring intently at her grayish-blue ones.

  
  


Catherine kneeled down in front of the altar and uttered her prayer. _ Dear Lord, please forgive me for I have sinned. I have found turning to darkness very tempting, even for a second. I know that he'll be back, please help me resist him. Protect me from evil, Lord. Amen. _

She stood up and went to the Mother Superior's room. She asked her earlier if she could stay in her room for only a few nights before going back to Africa for another mission. The Mother was curious why so she told her that she was having nightmares and it would be better if she had some company while sleeping. With this reason, the Mother Superior agreed. But the truth of the matter was, Catherine was afraid. She was afraid to be alone. She was afraid that when Trowa returns, she might not be able to resist him. So she decided to leave for another mission, even if she originally planned not to go for another year. She would do anything in her power to get away from him.

When she entered the room, she saw the Mother already sound asleep. She went directly to the open window and gently closed it. When she turned around, she had the shock of her life to see Trowa standing right in front of her.

"It's time to go, Cathy,"

"No! I won't go with you."

"Why resist your destiny? Don't be stubborn. Come," he told her, offering a hand.

Catherine looked at his hand, wide-eyed. She was fighting a losing battle. _ Please Lord, help me, _ her mind cried out. As if an answer to her prayer, she heard the Mother Superior's voice.

"Who are you? What do you want?" the Mother said, walking towards the pair. Catherine ran to her.

"I came for Catherine," Trowa answered.

The Mother Superior regarded him. "I don't know who you are and how you got inside but I'm asking you politely to leave. I wouldn't let Sister Catherine go with any stranger."

Trowa didn't budge. He just stood there, silently staring at Catherine. The Mother was beginning to get nervous. She could only see one of his eyes, but it was enough to make her shiver. There was no mistaking the dangerous glimmer in it. "Come, child, let's go," she told the younger nun. They walked toward the door. Out of nowhere, Trowa appeared in front of the door, blocking their escape.

"Mister, if you don't let us through, we're going to scream," the Mother threatened in her most authoritative voice.

"Then scream," he said evenly. He grabbed the Mother Superior's neck and flung her to the wall.

"MOTHER! NO!" Catherine screamed. She ran to the older nun and kneeled down beside her.

"You can't run away from me, Catherine. Do you think that changing rooms, having another person with you or going to Africa can hide you? I'll kill anybody who will stand in my way. I'll level any place down just to look for you. Do you understand that?"

Catherine didn't answer him. She reached out and closed the Mother's eyes, her tears falling like rain on her cheeks and on the dead nun's face. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Mother," she whispered. At the corner of her eye, she saw a dagger tucked under the bed. She quickly reached for it and unsheathed the blade. She then placed it at her chest, aiming for her heart.

  
  


Hilde felt Duo's breath at her neck. "You felt relieved that he's dead, don't you, Hilde babe? You felt relieved that finally, there's no one that'll hinder you from making your decision to come with me. You cried because he died, because he cares for you, and that he died because of you but not because you love him. I am the one you love. Admit it, Hilde. I can read it in your mind. I can hear it screaming in your soul. You love me and you want to be with me. Forever."

Hilde stayed still for a moment. She then whirled around to face him. "You're right, Duo. I love you," she said, wrapping her arms around him as she kissed him viciously. Duo kissed her viciously back. When they broke apart, Duo smiled at her before plunging his fangs down her neck.

  
  


Sally closed her eyes as she fell down, waiting for that moment when her body would crash to the ground. Instead, she felt herself rising as strong arms wrapped around her, breaking her fall. She opened her eyes and saw Wufei looking at her. "Do you think that I'll let you die after just finding you again? Never, Sally. I wouldn't let myself live without you ever again."

Sally's eyes started to water as the last of her defense broke down. She loved him very much. And she wanted to be with him. If it would cost her her soul, then so be it. She leaned over and captured his lips, desperately telling him of her consent. Wufei kissed her back before sinking his fangs on her neck.

  
  


Dorothy's hands trembled as she aimed the torches closer, never breaking eye contact with him. Finally, she said, "I can't." She turned around and returned the torches to the wall. With her back still facing him, she said, "I just can't seem to kill you. I killed many vampires before, but…"

Quatre waved a hand all over his body and the gasoline dried up. He then appeared near Dorothy, wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulders. "Why can't you kill me, Dorothy?"

Dorothy didn't answer. She remained facing the wall. "Say it, Dorothy. Tell me what you really want."

She whirled around to face him. "I want you, Quatre Raberba Winner. I want to be with you."

Quatre smiled. He kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose before brushing her lips with his own. When they pulled apart, Quatre gave her a smile again before biting Dorothy's neck.

  
  


Before Catherine had the chance to plunge the dagger to her heart, Trowa grabbed her hand. They locked gazes as he took the dagger and threw it away. He helped her up, enveloping her in his arms.

"Don't fight your destiny any longer, Catherine. Don't suppress your longing, your deepest wish. You wish to be with me right? You wish to be with me forever. I can make your wish come true."

Catherine couldn't control herself any longer. "Yes, Trowa. I want to be with you forever. Please, make it come true," she pleaded.

Trowa removed her head dress then leaned down to kiss her on the mouth. His tongue traveled to the side of her face, then to her neck. Catherine moaned with pleasure. She gasped when she felt Trowa's fangs deep in her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed in contentment.

  
  


Heero finished his meal first. He glanced at Relena and saw her still drinking from her victim. When she finished, he could clearly see the pain and the guilt etched on her face. She carefully laid down the body and closed its eyes. Heero approached her and gave her a hug.

"It's pathetic isn't it? After all these years, I still feel guilty," she told him. "And it's not only because I kill. I'm guilty because I gave in to my desires, resulting to the fulfillment of the Prophecy. I'm weak, I'm selfish and I caused all of this."

Heero held her at an arm's length and looked directly at her eyes. "Don't feel bad about it, Relena. It's not only you who made the Prophecy come true. The two of us did. The two of us caused this chaos, this darkness. I'm just as weak and as selfish as you. That's why our titles as the King and Queen suit us perfectly. And if it's any consolation, I still feel guilty too. Not only because of the prophecy but also because I managed to drag you with me into eternal damnation." He stopped for a moment before asking, "Do you have any regrets?"

Relena smiled at him. "As long as we're together, I wouldn't have any regrets."

Heero smiled back and gave her a quick kiss. Then, arm-in-arm, they took a stroll in the park. After walking for 10 minutes, they sat down on a bench by the pond. Heero wrapped his arm around her shoulders while Relena rested her head on his chest, gazing at the pond.

"This is the first time we've hunted together after 150 years huh?" Relena remarked.

"Hn. This is also the first time I've hunted after 150 years." 

"You know, I missed hunting with you, Heero."

"Same here."

"I think we should do this often," Relena suggested.

"If you want to. Your wish is my command, my Queen."

Relena giggled. Then her face grew serious. "Do you feel that?"

"Yes. They succeeded."

"And I'm certain that they did it with the girls' consent. The bond formed between each of them is too strong to be forced," Relena said.

"Finally. Things are the way they should be," Heero remarked. He then took Relena's hand. "We better get back to the castle to welcome them."

Relena nodded. Hand-in-hand, the two of them rose to the air and flew in the direction of Mt. Everest where the castle stood at its peak.

  
  


Who would have thought that fiends such as they would find eternal love and happiness? All they did was to give in to their desires and to pay for it with their souls. In Heero and Relena's case, they paid for it in the expense of the future of all humanity. And so from then on, the King and the Queen, together with their friends lived happily ever after. Though the same thing couldn't be said for the rest of the world. At least they were safe from the wrath of the five most powerful vampires running amok with broken hearts.


End file.
